Vinyl to cd, VHS to DVD

[Jukie]

Has anyone ever used a professional service for either or both of the above? I'm looking for recommendations.

Sadly, I have neither the time nor the kit to do it myself.

TIA, David.

 

[del320]

I'm sorry I can't give any specific recommendations but have you checked out any of the outfits that provide this service?

This one, for example will charge between £16 to £20 per vinyl album and between £5 and £12.50 per hour of VHS video. Clearly, your recordings would have to be pretty important to justify that kind of money and, of course, the result will be wholly dependant on the source quality.

My brother-in-law has run off several DVDs for me using this equipment with very good results. There's a whole stack of hardware/software out there (eg Roxio) at greatly differing prices, but in all cases, whether professional or DIY, the entire palaver will take longer than real time. By the time you rig up the VHS recorder via USB, ensure you've set the program for the correct format, edited or enhanced the result if necessary and printed off a cover, and hour of video will take two hours to complete. Little wonder the professionals charge so much.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

I have the kit if anyone needs help

 

[Jukie]

Baron, what kit do you use and how much do you charge?

 

[verytalldave]

Ripping vinyl and converting analogue videos to DVD isn't difficult or expensive - BUT it is very time consuming. Specially videos.
As far as music is concerned its often best to buy new CD's if available.
I have just converted nearly 40 VHS-C tapes to DVD as part of Xmas presents to my family and it took AGES............AGES...........

 

[NormanB]

Baron and Verytalldave.

Can you share your knowledge and offer me some advice too!

This is my project for 2010.

1. Procure a cost effective set of 'gubbins' that will allow me to:

a. Convert large format VHS analogue tape recordings to a digital format on a HDD.
b. Convert VHS-C analogue tape recordings to digital format on a HDD.
c. Transfer digital recordings from tape to HDD.

2. Catalogue and get some sense of order.

3. Do some serious video editing.#

4. Considering moving across to a Mac platform for the latter.

Any advice gratefully received, but I do not want to sub this work out (there is just too much) and I would like to do best quality data transfers with minimal loss of quality. Obviously cost is a constraint and I have never been keen on financial flagellation!

 

[verytalldave]

First off........before we get into technical dos or donts......
I appreciate you want to retain as much of the quality that is inherent in your recordings as much as possible, but conversion to ordinary DVD quality is more than sufficient.
I would suggest popping down to your local PC World or equivalent store and see what software they have on offer. Talk to a salesman. They do usually know their onions and will give good advice.
The software I use is now a bit out of date and I am sure there must now be much better out there that will give better finished results. And probably easier to use.
Same goes for music - although ripping vinyl to MP3 is comparatively easy and quick.
This is what I use for music..............
http://www.amazon.co.uk/X-oom-Music...ware&qid=1262206574&sr=8-1&tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Hehe,

My process is convoluted and involves a Canopus Box and various software tools from TMPGenc etc to resize and clean before outputting to format of choice.

 

[NormanB]

Baron

My initial research focussed on the Canopus.

I would be grateful if you could share your processes (however convoluted)and software et al.

Would also be interested in the view on buying a MAC specifically for this process as they do appear to be optimised for media and whether the 'mac mini' represents a cheap way in.

Clearly this whole process consumes HDD space would it be feasible to utilise an external HDD or would comms over USB2 be rate limiting?

 

[verytalldave]

One hour of standard VHS video takes up about 60-70GB of hard disc space as a raw file.
Its very roughly about 1GB a minute (at least, that's what I found found).
When I copy a VHS tape I copy it down to a 320GB external drive as I don't have sufficient free disk space on my PC's internal drive.
Converting this raw file to copy onto DVD disc reduces the file size considerably.
You can then delete the original raw file if you want to free up disk space and just keep the DVD CD for copying purposes.

 

[Baron_Samedi]

What format are you using verytalldave?

AVI from source such as mini DV runs at around 13GB per hour....

I use internal drives under Vista as the tools I run aren't MAC specific.

If I were in to be adding captions and the like I would be using Sony Vegas or similar.

 

[wallingd]

Tapes to PC/CD just requires a cable to the line-in, a wav-editor + Media Player.

 

[219]

VHS to DVD I can understand as the tapes degrade badly over time - it is easy enough to do with any DVD recorder linked to your VHS player - DVD recorders can now be bought quite cheaply , even secondhand via eBay etc.

I find it hard to understand , though , why anyone would want to convert vinyl recordings to a completely inferior digital medium with inevitable degradation in quality . Go down to any decent hi-fi shop and they will happily demonstrate the effortless superiority of a good quality analogue system .

 

[Baron_Samedi]

VHS to DVD by recorder - PAHHH okay if you don't mind living with the degraded picture...

Vinyl to MP3... how many homes have a working cassette player these days, let alone a record player?

 

[D-18]

I find it hard to understand , though , why anyone would want to convert vinyl recordings to a completely inferior digital medium with inevitable degradation in quality . Go down to any decent hi-fi shop and they will happily demonstrate the effortless superiority of a good quality analogue system

Pontoneer - you sound like a man after my own heart. I've still got a large vinyl collection and agree that a decent analogue set-up sounds great. I have transferred some of my collection to CD, but only so that I can play them in the car. You can't argue with the convenience of CD, but I'd love to let the digital junkies hear a Sheffield Lab direct cut album played on a Linn LP12

 

[wallingd]

But if you lose a record you lose it. Converting to digital form let's you keep a much safer backup, even online.

 

[219]

VHS to DVD by recorder - PAHHH okay if you don't mind living with the degraded picture...

Given that VHS is nothing great to start with , I can't say that I notice ANY degradation when dubbing across , assuming HQ recording and minimal compression . Before you start wondering , I have worked in video production all my life and am using professional or broadcast kit ranging from VHS/Betamax at one end of the spectrum , through Video 8/Hi-8 , S-VHS , Lo & Hi Band Umatic , Betacam SP , DV and DVCAM formats , interconnected at a minimum via Y/C , component where possible and digitally if possible again . I monitor on either a Grade 1 broadcast monitor or a twenty grand data projector so if there was a significant difference I would see it .

Similarly , even with much better sources ( I often dub rushes from DV or DVCAM for end users prior to editing ) the recorder holds up just as well as burning from a computer . The recorder does the job almost in real time ( allowing a few minutes at the end to finalise discs ) as opposed to using a computer which requires capturing , encoding , burning which can take almost double the run time of the programme .

As for audio formats - CD is likely to die a death long before vinyl : CD sales continue to decline as opposed to vinyl sales which are back on the increase as more and more people get the message and the demand increases - companies like Linn , Michell , Rega , Pro-ject et al are healthier than ever .

Although Compact Cassette as a format died a death a few years back , I'm sure plenty of people still have working machines - I keep a Sony TC KA7ES hooked up in my system , only because it integrates for remote control with a lot of my other equipment , even though I have a working Nakamichi TT700 and several hi-end Technics decks in the attic which I could not bear to part with - similarly I still keep two working Revox 1/4" machines , although I have cut down my collection of open reel machines from 4 Revoxes , 1 Nagra and 1 Uher ( the latter two were used when shooting 16mm film ) .

There will always be a turntable in my system ( currently Gyrodec/QC power supply/RB700 arm and AT OC9 ) but I seldom listen to CD in the house and could happily live without a player ( although I do have a decent CD audio system in each of my cars and sometimes burn discs for use there ) .

Re D-18 " I'd love to let the digital junkies hear a Sheffield Lab direct cut album played on a Linn LP12 " I agree on both points -

Quoting the sleeve notes on one of the early Sheffield discs " Bill Schnee - The greatest engineer since Casey Jones :-D "

I was a Linn dealer back in the 70's/80's when I ran a hi-fi shop and still have a nodding acquaintance with Ivor T , also knew many of the 'greats' such as John Michell , Peter Walker of Quad and many others in the community - sadly never got to meet John Wright of IMF , maker of my joint favourite loudspeakers ( still have my fabulous TLS 80's ) along with Quad ESL's ( all of them ) .

 

[219]

But if you lose a record you lose it. Converting to digital form let's you keep a much safer backup, even online.

If it is so precious - buy another copy : I currently have four copies of DSOTM - an original , well-played one ; one of the Denon 'special edition' half speed cuts and two of the 25th anniversary 180 gm special editions , one only played a few times and the other still sealed .

Can't say I have ever 'lost' a record as I never lend them out and take great care when handling them .

 

[Benzowner]

Vinyl to MP3... how many homes have a working cassette player these days, let alone a record player?

I have. Sat by the side of my PC is a Sony record deck and a Fair Mate cassette deck. When I have a spare couple of hours I record some of my Vynils or cassettes to the PC for later recording to CD. I suppose it will all get done eventually

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Given that VHS is nothing great to start with , I can't say that I notice ANY degradation when dubbing across , assuming HQ recording and minimal compression . Before you start wondering , I have worked in video production all my life and am using professional or broadcast kit ranging from VHS/Betamax at one end of the spectrum , through Video 8/Hi-8 , S-VHS , Lo & Hi Band Umatic , Betacam SP , DV and DVCAM formats , interconnected at a minimum via Y/C , component where possible and digitally if possible again . I monitor on either a Grade 1 broadcast monitor or a twenty grand data projector so if there was a significant difference I would see it .

Similarly , even with much better sources ( I often dub rushes from DV or DVCAM for end users prior to editing ) the recorder holds up just as well as burning from a computer . The recorder does the job almost in real time ( allowing a few minutes at the end to finalise discs ) as opposed to using a computer which requires capturing , encoding , burning which can take almost double the run time of the programme .

As for audio formats - CD is likely to die a death long before vinyl : CD sales continue to decline as opposed to vinyl sales which are back on the increase as more and more people get the message and the demand increases - companies like Linn , Michell , Rega , Pro-ject et al are healthier than ever .

Although Compact Cassette as a format died a death a few years back , I'm sure plenty of people still have working machines - I keep a Sony TC KA7ES hooked up in my system , only because it integrates for remote control with a lot of my other equipment , even though I have a working Nakamichi TT700 and several hi-end Technics decks in the attic which I could not bear to part with - similarly I still keep two working Revox 1/4" machines , although I have cut down my collection of open reel machines from 4 Revoxes , 1 Nagra and 1 Uher ( the latter two were used when shooting 16mm film ) .

There will always be a turntable in my system ( currently Gyrodec/QC power supply/RB700 arm and AT OC9 ) but I seldom listen to CD in the house and could happily live without a player ( although I do have a decent CD audio system in each of my cars and sometimes burn discs for use there ) .

Re D-18 " I'd love to let the digital junkies hear a Sheffield Lab direct cut album played on a Linn LP12 " I agree on both points -

Quoting the sleeve notes on one of the early Sheffield discs " Bill Schnee - The greatest engineer since Casey Jones :-D "

I was a Linn dealer back in the 70's/80's when I ran a hi-fi shop and still have a nodding acquaintance with Ivor T , also knew many of the 'greats' such as John Michell , Peter Walker of Quad and many others in the community - sadly never got to meet John Wright of IMF , maker of my joint favourite loudspeakers ( still have my fabulous TLS 80's ) along with Quad ESL's ( all of them ) .

Okay, okay, I give in...

I'll get over to Comet tomorrow and queue with the hoards waiting to upgrade to Vinyl.

If you think that Vinyl will ever come out of its niche again you are mistaken. Big business want to curtail piracy by ensuring that you download the media you want on a demand basis and not sell you a 12" chunk of plastic.

And as for CD, its lasted about as long as vinyl... it has its flaws, but it delivers what the generic "customer" wants.

After that, I'll dub my 25 year old VHS to DVD without any restoration on your say so.

Hmmm, I don't think so.

If VHS was meant to be copied directly to DVD without restoration then websites like videohelp.com would cease to exist.

Happy New Year!

PS, I once knew the brother of a guitarist in Simple Minds, does that count as a name drop? Not sure if he had Linn equipment at home though, but perhaps you sold him some?